AN AGE-old recipe for Welsh Cakes which tantalised the taste buds of judges at a top food competition is now selling across the UK.

The Village Bakery were thrilled when their Welsh cakes were named reserve champion at the True Taste of Wales Awards.

Demand is soaring and they’re now making up to 340,000 Welsh cakes a week at their headquarters in Minera, near Wrexham.

They’re now also being sold by a national chain in their stores throughout the UK.

The latest accolade means the Village Bakery is on something of a roll this year.

They were named Craft Bakery of the Year for the third time at the Bakery Industry Awards.

The success of their Welsh cakes is a source of great pride to charge hand Gwen Lloyd.

The original recipe, only slightly adapted to suit modern production methods, was devised by her grandmother Elizabeth Hughes, who lived in Blaenau Ffestiniog where Gwen was raised.

Sadly, Mrs Hughes died before Gwen was born but the recipe has been passed down through the generations.

Gwen said: “I’ve got happy memories of all my family making Welsh Cakes – they were very, very tasty.

“My Mam would cook them on a metal skillet and the smell was absolutely lovely.

“Usually we’d eat them straightaway. They never went into a tin because they went straight to our stomachs! It’s great that an old traditional recipe is still in use and people buy them and enjoy eating them.

“My Nam and Nain would be very proud the Welsh cakes were honoured at the True Taste Awards.”

Robin Jones, the Village Bakery’s joint managing director, added: “We’re over the moon because it’s an award from Wales and it’s a great achievement for our staff who are fantastic.

“I think it boils down to the fact we’ve got a very good recipe and we use very good ingredients.”